2 Chronicles 30:7-9
7 Don’t be like your fathers and your brothers who were unfaithful to the LORD God of their ancestors so that He made them an object of horror as you yourselves see. 8 Don’t become obstinate now like your fathers did. Give your allegiance to the LORD, and come to His sanctuary that He has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God so that He may turn His fierce wrath away from you, 9 for when you return to the LORD, your brothers and your sons will receive mercy in the presence of their captors and will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful; He will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”
Psalm 145:8-9
8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and great in faithful love.
9 The LORD is good to everyone;
His compassion rests on all He has made.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so our comfort overflows through Christ.
Related Text:
Exodus 33:19
2 Chronicles 30:7-9
Nehemiah 9:16-19
Psalm 103
Lamentations 3:19-23
Colossians 3:12-14
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Do You Have What It Takes?
There is someone, probably many, that need to hear the message in today’s scripture. We all need this info from time to time. No matter how far or for how long you have been away from God, He is begging you to return to Him. No matter how distant you feel, even if you’re sitting in a church on Sundays, He desires a relationship with you. He wants to be close with you. He promises that He will “not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.” He will be there waiting with arms open wide when you decide to run back to Him.
But the decision to run to God, to live for Him, to give up everything for Him, to seek a relationship with Him; that is a decision that we must make ourselves. It starts with us, each individually. We so often think that we are too bad, too sinful, or too far removed from God, and we convince ourselves that there is no way He could still love us or want to have anything to do with us. BUT HE DOES.
Zechariah 1:3
Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty.
Malachi 3:7
Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.
These are just two of many specific passages in the Bible that talk about returning to God and not being denied by Him. Another is up there in today’s scripture in 2 Chronicles 30. If you leave with nothing else today, please tune into this and remember that God loves you. He offers all of us forgiveness through the sacrifice of His son Jesus, and He gives new life through Jesus to those who believe and follow Him.
And just in case you haven’t yet been able to relate to this Bible study, just hold tight, you still have some responsibility. Take a closer look up there at 2 Corinthians 1:4. God comforts us so we may comfort others. If you don’t think anyone wants or needs to hear your life story about how God has rescued you or how God has used you or changed you, then I have to say that you are sorely mistaken. Maybe all of the stuff you have gone through is exactly what someone else needs to hear about so God can begin a change in that person.
If you’ve got the guts, I challenge you to pray to God, asking Him to put someone in your life that will benefit from hearing about what He has done in your life. Pray that God will put someone right in front of you that desperately needs to hear about His ability to rescue, His strength and grace, His love and peace and forgiveness. Whether you think God has done huge things or small things with you, it doesn’t matter. He can use whatever He wants to make an impact. But God needs a willing participant. Be that willing participant!
ps. if you don’t have the guts for this challenge, then pray for the guts. that way we don’t have any excuses!
